With deals and value top of mind, our family of four recently packed the car for a road trip south. First tip: Wait until you cross the border before filling up the tank. Gas in Washington State is almost half the cost it is in Vancouver.

Finding bargains was especially easy in Eugene, Oregon — a quaint college town about a seven-hour drive from Vancouver (and two hours south of Portland). Here, we came across the 5th Street Public Market, a dynamic three-storey retail and dining hub that includes Made in Oregon, the playful Elephant’s Trunk Toy Company and NEWTW!ST — a boutique with a creative take on hand-crafted pottery, home accessories and unique jewelry designs from local artists.

We found some remarkable tax-free deals at 5th Street Market: North Face jackets for $30 and University of Oregon-branded T-shirts for $5. Our favourite shop was Marché Provisions — a combination restaurant, cosy wine café and gourmet food and wine store with a kitchen shop featuring top-of-the-line products (think Le Creuset, etc.).

The main reason for our visit to Eugene, though, was to catch an Oregon Ducks men’s basketball game. Tickets aren’t too hard to come by (as low as $10, depending on the opponent), but parking can be a challenge so stay somewhere close and walk or take transit. We stayed at the Phoenix Inn Suites ($89 per night, and a 15-minute walk to the basketball arena), which also borders the campus and offers freshly-baked cookies each afternoon as well as a full-hot breakfast.

Our next destination was two hours north on I-5 to The Mark Spencer Hotel in Portland (about $179 per night). The rooms are spacious, and the hotel is situated between downtown’s Pioneer Square and the eclectic Pearl District with its scores of trendy boutiques and budget-friendly food trucks.

The Mark Spencer offered freshly baked cookies each afternoon, complimentary breakfast, a made-to-order specialty coffee machine (including hot chocolate) and to-go cups. For the grown-ups there are wine tastings and appetizers every evening.

Not to be missed is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) — one of the country’s leading science centres. (Cost is about $46 for a family of four.)

It’s easy to spend an entire day at this multi-level science facility, which offers expansive views of the Willamette River. The Centre’s café is impressive with kale salads, pulled pork sandwiches and a kid-friendly menu. After trying the various interactive labs, we made some noise with the current guitar exhibit — which includes the world’s largest playable guitar.

Since OMSI is across the river from downtown, getting there can be tricky without a car. We chose to hop aboard the Portland Streetcar. The trip takes about 20 minutes and costs $2 per person; fares can be purchased on board.

The next day, we ambled a few blocks to the 124-year-old Portland Art Museum — the seventh oldest in the United States and oldest in the Pacific Northwest. Though it’s four floors and has more than 42,000 pieces of art, the museum is most notable for its Native American collection and for housing some of the world’s most celebrated and recognized European artists — including Matisse, Monet, Picasso, Renoir and Rodin. You can easily spend a day here.

We spent the evenings in Portland in the warm refuge of Powell’s Books. Reputed to be the world’s largest independent new and used bookstore, Powell’s takes up four floors and an entire city block — including a cosy children’s section — making it easy to lose track of time in this self-proclaimed “City of Books.”

From here, we drove three hours north to Seattle and chose to stay at the Hilton’s Homewood Suites Seattle-Convention Center-Pike Street (around $129 per night) for its full kitchen and proximity to Pike Place Market, which was within walking distance.

In Seattle, we were in full tourist mode to the city’s two most visible landmarks — the iconic Space Needle at Seattle Center and The Great Wheel.

Though it’s less than a 10-minute drive from downtown, parking at the Space Needle can be expensive. Take the Monorail instead, boarding at Westlake Center. A quick note: The Monorail accepts cash only ($2.25 per person, and $1.00 for seniors, persons with disabilities and children aged five to 12).

We skipped the long lines with our CityPASS booklets — which offer easy access to five Seattle attractions over the course of nine days. At $69 per person ($49 for children aged four to 12), the pass is worthwhile if you plan to visit at least two attractions. (Passes are available online at www.citypass.com/seattle or at the attractions.)

Upon arriving at Seattle Center, we immediately booked our time to take the 41-second elevator ride up the Space Needle and, as expected, were treated to breathtaking 360-degree vistas of the city, Elliott Bay and Mount Rainier. (To avoid long lines, book reservation times in advance at www.spaceneedle.com.)

Day 2 kicked off with a full-hot breakfast at the hotel (included) and a visit to the Seattle Aquarium. Though lineups were out the door, we jumped the queue, thanks again to our CityPASS. What makes this aquarium somewhat unique is its high level of interaction and informal “classroom-type” educational sessions.

Another highlight was being able to touch the Puget Sound’s colourful tide pools and view the “Window on Washington Waters Diver Show,” a narrated event in which a diver delves into a 120,000-gallon underwater exhibit of some 800 fish and invertebrates local to the Pacific Northwest.

From the aquarium, it is a short stroll to Ivar’s Acres of Clams — a 70-year-old establishment. We snagged a window table (ask if there’s one available, it’s worth the wait) and splurged on delicious New England clam chowder, fresh halibut and perfectly fried cod all sitting on a bed of crispy fries. The expansive windows offer views of ferries moving across Elliott Bay. (Expect to pay about $50 for lunch for a family of four; tipping is included in the menu prices.)

Seattle’s other highly visible landmark was next on our list — the Great Wheel, which extends some 12.2 metres (40 feet) over Elliott Bay. Don’t be deterred by the line; it moves swiftly, leading you to one of the climate-controlled gondolas that whisks you to a height of 53.3 metres (175 feet) and more spectacular panoramic views of the mountains, water and city. (Cost is $13 per person, $8.50 for children aged four to 11; not included in CityPASS.)

For our final evening, we shopped local, picking up items at Pike Place Market to enjoy later in our suite. (Stay at the hotel Monday through Thursday, and a light dinner is included.)

After-dinner activities here included window-shopping, soaking in the hot tub and lounging in the game room to enjoy some (completely free) rounds of pool, pinball and classic arcade games — a perfectly relaxed and fun way to end our last few nights before heading home.

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